Don't Forget When Silence Falls
by alexandwallieworld
Summary: WHOUFFLE The Doctor and Clara are on a lovely picnic in the Glasmir Mountains of Apalapucia when something goes terribly wrong. (This is my first story, so bear with me here)
1. Chapter 1

She knew he was here before she heard him. She always knew. Leaving yet another failed soufflé sitting on the kitchen counter, she rushed down the stairs, out the door, and into the woods where he always waited.

"Clara," he smiled and embraced her. She hugged him back, wondering why it had been over a week since they had last traveled.

"So where'll it be this time, Doctor?" she stepped back, now smiling, too.

"Why don't we find out?" he said with a snap and a sideways grin. She gladly entered the TARDIS, as soon as noticing the fez hanging on the console.

"Oh dear," she sighed in exasperation, "Where did you get this one?"

"Just a…a gift." he said dismissively. He snapped again, shutting the doors, then turned back to the console and began flipping switches and pushing buttons.

"So who was it?" she smirked.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"You were late. 3 days. There's always a reason. It's usually a who. Get talking."

"Wrong. Not this time. This time, it was a where. We're going to Apalapucia." He turned back towards her, awaiting her excitement.

"Apalapucia?"

"Apalapucia."

"Why did it take 3 days?"

"The second best destination for the discerning intergalactic traveler. I'm easily distracted. And, last time a visited there were a few…" his face went sour and he leaned back against the whirring console, "complications. No more issues this time. I made certain."

"So what is it we'll be doing on this Apalapucia of yours?" she questioned, cocking her head.

"Just wait and see. We're nearly there." He smirked mischievously, pushing the final button and spinning on his heels to face her once again. She heard the whooshing and whirring of the brakes, her favorite noise, and relaxed back into life aboard the TARDIS.


	2. Chapter 2

"I give you…" the Doctor gave a proud grin, flung the TARDIS doors open, and stepped aside for Clara, "the majestic… ooo I like that word, I'm going to have to use it more often…" he rubbed his hands together in satisfaction, "the _majestic_ Glasmir Mountains of Apalapucia." She stepped out slowly, in awe of the beautiful sight before her. A pink-purple sky, snowcapped mountains, rolling valleys. She spun once around, taking in the view. The again. And again. It was beautiful.

"So, I waited. Now would you like to tell me what we're doing here?" she finally asked.

"Well don't fuss around, then. Let's go!" he set off down the grassy hillside with nothing but a snap of his fingers. She could tell that he was enjoying the TARDIS's newfound ability. They walked up the side of a smaller hill on the mountain, following no path at all.

"This is it?" she exclaimed, coming upon a picnic basket and a small woven basket perched at the peak of the hill.

"Sure is. A picnic, just for us, in the lovely mountains of Apalapucia!" he said with a grin and a twirl.

"Well aren't you just the gentleman!" she said, surprised, and sat down. He gave a smirk of acknowledgement, straightened his bowtie, and plopped down next to her.

* * *

"So is this what you spent your 3 days doing?" she asked, polishing off a second biscuit.

"Time traveler, remember?" It didn't take 3 days. The TARDIS just had some… issues."

"This is quite weird. No worlds to save, no people to see…"

"1000 years of such things and one gets tired. A picnic was all I needed. A vacation." He smiled and moved slightly closer to her. She didn't need to know the picnic was also the perfect place to tell her. "But never mind that…" He had to tell her now. When else could he? She needed to know. He knew there was always the possibility of his feelings being returned. He sure hoped.

"Clara, there's something I need to tell you. You need to know." He paused, taking a deep breath and looked back into her beautiful eyes. "Clara, I…" Her face froze.


	3. Chapter 3

"Clara, what is it? Is it what I said?" he questioned, quite concerned. Her gaze focused back on him.

"I… I can't remember…"

"What… did you say?"

"I'm not sure… I can't remember…" her head spun around, searching the clearing. She froze again, this time facing behind herself.

"Doctor…" she held her gaze, and his moved to meet hers. His suspicions had been confirmed. But how? How had they found him again? The Silence were back. What could they want this time? They had taken his wife, and the Ponds were gone, too. There was only one person left to keep safe, and he would give his life to keep her with him forever. She mattered most. She wasn't like the others.

"I see it, too, Clara." He stood up, taking her trembling hand and pulling her up and to his side. He knew she was trying to be brave. Her ice cold hands betrayed her. "Stay right next to me." He whispered to her. Then, straightening himself and pulling the couple forward, he addressed the gaunt creature in front of them.

"What do you want? Why have you come back?" he demanded. No reply. A cocking of the head and slow movement of the fingers, but otherwise… nothing.

"I demand to know what you want." Slow, labored steps forward. The Doctor began tucking Clara slowly behind him. Her hands had stopped trembling. She could be brave. She was being brave, for the both of them.

"What business do you have with me? Dr. Song isn't here and the Ponds are… away." He faltered. He couldn't lose it now. Why didn't he have a plan? He always had a plan.

The reply came this time, though muted and airy: "The girl."


	4. Chapter 4

His grip on her hand tightened. _No_, he thought, _not my Clara_.

"No." he spoke aloud this time, moving Clara further behind him. "I can't let you do that. She is my friend and I intend for her to stay with me." But the Silence didn't listen. It was moving closer and closer, taking bigger steps.

"We need the girl." It continued on as if the Doctor had said nothing at all. "We need another human." Before the Doctor could respond, he heard a noise from Clara. He turned, and she pointed to two more approaching Silence from the woods behind them. He inhaled sharply, then turned his attention back to the other Silence. It was suddenly closer than preferred, and he still didn't have a plan. What was wrong with him today?

"Think! Think!" he spoke aloud as he slapped his forehead. But something was wrong. The Silence was backing up instead of moving forward, and there was no longer a small hand enclosed in his. He quickly glanced behind him and was overcome with horror.

"No." he whispered. How had they gotten her? "No. No!" he yelled this time. He looked back at the Silence, his face twisted with rage. "How dare you mess with me again? Give her back to me!" he demanded fiercely.

"The girl is ours." And with that, the Silence retreated and disappeared.

"No!" He screamed. How could he have let this happen? He was supposed to take care of her, keep her safe! He spun in circles, looking everywhere. "Not my Clara, not my Clara…" he repeated over and over. "You can't take Clara… I love her…" he said softly, listening for the echo off the hills. He had finally said it aloud, though only admitting it to himself. A lone tear fell from his eye. No, he had to stay strong. He had to; for her.

"I'm going to find you, Clara!" he called before running into the distance. She was behind him, thrashing and fighting against the grip of the Silence, screaming and crying out for him. But he couldn't see her, or hear her desperate attempt to call his name. The Silence tightened their grip and dragged her further from the direction that he had run.


	5. Chapter 5

He had said that he loved her. That was all she needed. She continued pulling against the tight grip binding her. The grip only tightened. She continued calling out, but he only ran further. Branches and bushes scratched and tore at her bare legs and arms, but she barely took notice. Her eyes were fixed on him as he receded into the distant hills, wisps of his hair fluttering in the light breeze. She watched him until the trees clouded her view. She finally turned in the direction that she was being dragged. Suddenly a low growl came from the right. A bush rustled, and immediately after a large cat/dog-looking creature sprung out and onto the Silence. How perfect. She took her chance, running in the same direction as the Doctor had taken off in. But, before she could go more than a few yards, she felt an electric zap in her shoulder and her world blacked out as she fell to the grass.

* * *

He was going to find her. Her voice wasn't coming from any certain direction; it was bouncing around, echoing off the faces of the mountains. She was calling for him. She was calling from everywhere, but from nowhere. And for the first time, there was nothing he could do. He couldn't help. He was vulnerable.

He started running towards his best guess at Clara's location. It was no use. She was gone, but not for good. He slowed down, finally allowing the truth of his situation to catch up to him. He slowly turned on heel and stalked back to the TARDIS. Maybe they could catch him off guard, but he would return. He would get Clara back.

* * *

The TARDIS greeted him with a whirr. Mumbling under his breath, he stepped in. He began to pace, putting on and taking off his fez, straightening his bowtie again and again. There was a knock on the door, but he took no notice. The knock was repeated, and he snapped out of it, lifting his head and looking around. The knocking got more impatient. He rushed over the door, curious as to who knocks before entering and old police box from Earth, parked in the mountains of an alien planet. He opened the door a crack, popping his head out. A small girl with wavy blonde hair stood in front of him, wearing a plaid skirt and t-shirt. She couldn't have been more than 7 years old, yet she was wearing an eye patch.

"Hello."

"Hi…" he said hesitantly. What was she doing here?

"You're hat's cool." He had forgotten that he was still wearing it.

"It is cool, isn't it?" he answered, giving a sideways grin and adjusting his fez.

"Why have you parked your box here?" He stepped out of the TARDIS doors, shutting them behind himself. The girl stayed put.

"We were only having a picnic."

"We? You appear to be alone."

"My friend Clara and I."

"And where is this lady friend of yours?" she questioned with a smirk.

"She's not my 'lady friend'; she was a friend who just so happens to be a girl."

"Sure… so where is your friend who just so happens to be a girl?"

"The Silence… the Silence took her. Do you know where they might be keeping her?"

"Actually, I was just headed back that way. They are ever so strict; if I don't return soon they'll come find me and punish me." She shivered at the thought.

"They… as in the Silence?"

"Yes, and the other pirates."

"Pirates…?"

"The others with eye patches like mine. That's what I call us. They hate it, but it makes me feel like I'm living a story rather than this sorry excuse for a childhood." She sighed in exasperation.

"Why are you here? With the Silence and… the other pirates, that is."

"I've been with them since I was young. They always tell me that I'm being raised to do a very important job, but that I cannot yet truly understand." An intrigued smile began to creep across the Doctor's face. Could it really be…

"I don't think I ever asked your name."

"Melody. Melody Pond."


	6. Chapter 6

When she awoke, it was dim and cold. Her blouse had been torn to shreds all over, exposing Clara's cut up shoulders, back, and arms. Her legs were scratched and bleeding, and her shirt was completely ruined. Her combat boots seemed to be okay, apart from the frayed laces and caked up dirt and grass. She tried to get up, only to realize that she was strapped to a table. The table was on a slant, which was the reason the room looked tilted. The table was metal, causing a shiver of cold to run up her spine. As her teeth chattered noisily, Clara restrained against the rope bonds binding her to the table. She tried to kick and thrash and jerk her arms and legs, but nothing worked. She sighed in defeat and leaned back, exhausted. Suddenly, many shadows approached her from behind; she could see them growing on the wall in front of her. There were four of them in total. Two silence held her down with surprisingly strong grips, while the other two untied the shackles of rope. She tried to fight against them at a chance to break free, but it was no use. They led her out into the hall, dragging her by her hands and leaving her feet to dangle and scrape against the floor. She studied the turns they made and the hallways they traveled through, determined to learn the layout of the building. She knew the doctor would find a way to save her, but just in case she wanted to be able to get to him. They finally came up to a room that had one single bulb of light hanging from the ceiling. The room was small, and only contained a tiny wooden desk with a very uncomfortable looking matching chair. On the side of the room opposite of the desk, there was some unknown apparatus to Clara hanging from the wall and ceiling. When she finally recognized what it was, panic filled every inch of her body. She began to shake when a tall figured stepped out from the cover of a shadow smiling the most wicked smile Clara had ever seen. She wore a strange looking eye patch, and her gloved hands were clasped behind her back. Her eyes were evil; the pleaser of seeing Clara's pain evident in their dark, bottomless pits.

"It's time." She hissed as her reached for Clara.


	7. Chapter 7

The curious grin morphed into a full out sideways grin.

"Melody Pond. What're the odds?"

"Why do you know me…? Who are you…?" She cautiously stepped back.

"Oh! No! No. I just…" he tried to think quickly, "I've heard the name." Mostly true. "I'm John Smith." Not true. She couldn't know it was him. Not if she was bound to kill him one day.

"Well, I think I shall trust you, Mr. Smith of the blue box. And I can help you find your lady friend. I have an idea of where they might have taken her." She eyed him suspiciously yet expectantly, then with a sly smile, turned and led the way into the thick trees circling the TARDIS.

"She's not my lady friend." He muttered, then followed after her, rolling his eyes. He broke into a jog to catch up to her.

"So you said something about being here your whole life? Did you ever know your parents?"

"No, I've been here as long as I can remember. I must've been with them at one point, though. They won't tell me. But why do you want to know? I shouldn't trust you. You're just a madman with a blue box." she turned to look up at him. He expected a look of fear or realization, but instead received a look of excitement and curiosity. She looked back down at her feet. "I don't really believe what you said. You haven't just heard the name. I can tell. The name meant something to you. It was someone special, wasn't it?"

"Yes. Yes, she was." They were both silent a moment, thinking. "Why are you helping me? Why are you so willing to lead me back to my friend?"

"Because you have a box and I've seen nothing but these woods my entire life. I will help you find your lady friend, but I request that in return, you take me with you. I don't care about my unknown purpose. I want a real life."

"I…" He needed her help, but she couldn't come with him. He had seen it already; she stays with them to discover her purpose. She did end up trying to kill him. But, Clara. Clara was still out there. She needed his help, and she was going to get it. "I can take you wherever you like." He forced a smile. "I just want Clara safe…" he whispered to himself.

"Don't worry. We'll find your friend." She said quietly to him, taking his hand.


End file.
